Fast 8 - Part 1

[Zant]

Speaking of which, I have a strong feeling this film will make more money than JL.

Thats pretty obvious now. The last film made Avengers 1 money and even made more than Avengers 2. Its likely to be number two worldwide this year behind Star Wars.

 

[Zant]

As diverse as this franchise has been, the lack of Black women in this franchise is a bit unsettling. Same goes for Asian women. There is one Black woman in this entire franchise in Natalie Emmanuel, but no Asian women, unless you count Gal Gadot, who's Israeli.

Its still a lot more diverse than most of the big franchises today. Can you name a major Black female or Asian female character in Star Wars for example. That's a lot more unsettling.

 

[CELTICPRED]

Its still a lot more diverse than most of the big franchises today. Can you name a major Black female or Asian female character in Star Wars for example. That's a lot more unsettling.

Kathleen Kennedy added that Asian girl who is playing Rose in the new movie. Their diversity quota can finally be checked off Disney's list. Got to get that China money! I hate how non-transparent this is.

 

[kguillou]

Its funny, I was thinking about that the other day and realized that the main cast of characters is now pretty much all black/latino. Diesel, Rodriguez, Gibson, Ludacris, Nathalie Emmanuel, The Rock..its a minority led franchise and that is very very remarkable imo. As an African American myself, its refreshing to see that we dont have to subject ourselves to lame Tyler Perry movies

 

[Raiden]

Kathleen Kennedy added that Asian girl who is playing Rose in the new movie. Their diversity quota can finally be checked off Disney's list. Got to get that China money! I hate how non-transparent this is.

So what if they added an Asian character in Star Wars? They should have done that a long time ago. Why should only white and black characters show up in the SW universe?

 

[tek]

this one felt a little stale. I enjoyed Statham and the infant scenes and his dynamic with the Rock. Theron was an actionless villain which makes her a odd fit and probably the weakest of the series. Unless the next movie improves from a critical sense I may wait until it hits dvd or tv. Transformers seems more realistic

 

[CELTICPRED]

So what if they added an Asian character in Star Wars? They should have done that a long time ago. Why should only white and black characters show up in the SW universe?

I have no problem with the ethnicities of characters, I loved the hell out of Finn and the like. I just hate the blatant checklist that Disney has for getting max profits. Cynicism is fun.

 

[PacificBoy]

Isn't Kelly Marie Tran American-Vietnamese? That's hardly a selling point to the Chinese in China.

 

[Chesterfield]

I have no problem with the ethnicities of characters, I loved the hell out of Finn and the like. I just hate the blatant checklist that Disney has for getting max profits. Cynicism is fun.

I don't really see how that's different from the viewpoint of only white leads can sell a movie, especially when it compromises authenticity. So called pandering to Asian market, especially China maybe cynical and transparent but let's not be unevenly yoked about this. The same cynical principle behind this is exactly the same when it comes to mainstream films with white leads and predominantly white casts.

 

[Ozbridge]

Its still a lot more diverse than most of the big franchises today. Can you name a major Black female or Asian female character in Star Wars for example. That's a lot more unsettling.

Haven't you heard? Kathleen Kennedy's idea of diversity is one single English white brunette like her (ok Kennedy isn't English but she's a white brunette) and a bunch of men.

Kathleen Kennedy added that Asian girl who is playing Rose in the new movie. Their diversity quota can finally be checked off Disney's list. Got to get that China money! I hate how non-transparent this is.

I have no problem with the ethnicities of characters, I loved the hell out of Finn and the like. I just hate the blatant checklist that Disney has for getting max profits. Cynicism is fun.

Kelly Marie Tran is Vietnamese-American, and as someone growing up in Asia I can assure you that non-Chinese actors (including Chinese-American actors) have no appeal whatsoever for Chinese audience. The only actors who can attract Chinese audience are home-grown Chinese (like superstar Donnie Yen or at least the fair-skinned, model-like, conventionally sexy and good-looking Jing Tian). I doubt the conventionally good-looking Chinese-American actresses like Chloe Bennet or Constance Wu can draw in Chinese audience, let alone the short, nerdy looking Vietnamese-American Kelly Marie Tran (I have nothing against her look though, I think she's cute, but that isn't the kind of look Chinese audience dig).

Does LucasFilm cast Tran to tick the Woman of Color diversity box? Actually it's more like Rian Johnson picked her, Kennedy didn't approve, which made Johnson fight for her so eventually Kennedy relented. But I'm glad (and I'll correct anyone who says otherwise) that Disney at least caters to the women of color market segment, NOT the Chinese market (if I can tell that Tran won't appeal to Chinese audience using her Asian descendant I'm sure that media expert at LucasFilm can).

Btw back to F8 congrat that the film is now the record holder of biggest worldwide opening weekend.

1 The Fate of the Furious $532.5
2 Star Wars: The Force Awakens $529.0
3 Jurassic World Uni. $525.5
4 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 $483.2
5 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice $422.5
6 Furious 7 $397.7

 

[Wildcard]

Indeed. Definitely didn't see that coming. But exactly how high will it go?

 

[2kt09]

This could be over a billion by next week.

Does seem it like.

 

[terry78]

532 mil. Well, **** me sideways.

 

[Loki882]

Chloe Bennett MIGHT be able to sell a little bit in China, seeing as she had a pop music run there before getting into acting.

Thandie Newton from Westworld is also going to be in the Han Solo movie BTW.

 

[Asr]

Its funny, I was thinking about that the other day and realized that the main cast of characters is now pretty much all black/latino. Diesel, Rodriguez, Gibson, Ludacris, Nathalie Emmanuel, The Rock..its a minority led franchise and that is very very remarkable imo. As an African American myself, its refreshing to see that we dont have to subject ourselves to lame Tyler Perry movies

Say what? The Rock is Polynesian/Samoan, not black or latino. But I agree with your point, definitely awesome to see a major franchise with so many minorities.

 

[JtheDreamer]

A new opening weekend record?

I don't get it. At all.

 

[Chesterfield]

The Rock is half black half Polynesian.

 

[terry78]

And I saw plenty of white people at my showing. So that whole "audiences won't go see a movie if there's no white lead or too many minority characters" thing is ****.

 

[2kt09]

And I saw plenty of white people at my showing. So that whole "audiences won't go see a movie if there's no white lead or too many minority characters" thing is ****.

We all relate to cars. That's the secret

 

[Loki882]

-It's got cool action.
-It's dumb fun, and knows that and thus doesn't take itself too seriously.
-The cast/characters are likeable and play off of each other well.
-It's got an unusually diverse cast for a big budget blockbuster franchise.
-There's a surprisingly sincere message about family and what you'd do/go through for them running throughout.
-It's got The Rock in it.
-Etc.

It's not hard to see why it's got such a wide appeal really.

 

[kguillou]

-It's got cool action.
-It's dumb fun, and knows that and thus doesn't take itself too seriously.
-The cast/characters are likeable and play off of each other well.
-It's got an unusually diverse cast for a big budget blockbuster franchise.
-There's a surprisingly sincere message about family and what you'd do/go through for them running throughout.
-It's got The Rock in it.
-Etc.

It's not hard to see why it's got such a wide appeal really.

Yup. When you break it down, its really not that hard to come up with a blockbuster formula. Fun and funny characters, big innovative, over the top action and heart are really the three things that'll get people to watch your movie.

 

[Zero_Effect]

Yup. When you break it down, its really not that hard to come up with a blockbuster formula. Fun and funny characters, big innovative, over the top action and heart are really the three things that'll get people to watch your movie.

Eh. It it was that easy The Expendables 4 would be hitting this summer. Instead that franchise is dead because the last one couldn't hit 40M in the U.S.

 

[Asr]

The Rock is half black half Polynesian.

I stand corrected, had to Google that.

Eh. It it was that easy The Expendables 4 would be hitting this summer. Instead that franchise is dead because the last one couldn't hit 40M in the U.S.

Well it could be said that The Expendables is full of guys who were popular in the 80s but are way past their prime today and look like it. Who wants that when the F&F franchise has always had the hip young cast of 20- to 30- to 40-somethings at most, and paired with attractive & scantily-clad women?

 

[2kt09]

Eh. If it was that easy The Expendables 4 would be hitting this summer. Instead that franchise is dead because the last one couldn't hit 40M in the U.S.

Expendables had an even easier formula to maintain and they decided to just dropkick the appeal, that was even there in the 1st & 2nd place, by the 3rd one.

 

[kguillou]

Eh. It it was that easy The Expendables 4 would be hitting this summer. Instead that franchise is dead because the last one couldn't hit 40M in the U.S.

Ah but see, Expendables 3 was missing two of the three ingredients I listed: innovative action sequences and heart. It had fun characters but there was no emotional core to the movie and the action was kind of whatever. Plus it was neutered cuz of the PG 13 rating.